Generation of dynamic software models using input mapping with feature definitions

ABSTRACT

A system and method for facilitating construction of and/or adaptation of a dynamic software model. One embodiment provides for generating software models by mapping user selections to one or more model features as specified by feature definitions. An initial software model is used to obtain the user selections. Artifacts are associated with the initial business planning model according to the selections by mapping the selections to model features according to previously determined feature definitions.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of the following application, U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/436,016, entitled GENERATION OF DYNAMICSOFTWARE MODELS USING INPUT MAPPING WITH FEATURE DEFINITIONS, filed onFeb. 17, 2017, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 62/370,106, entitled GENERATING DYNAMIC MULTIDIMENSIONAL PLANNING MODEL BASED ON BUSINESS QUESTIONS, filed on Aug. 2,2016, which are hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in fullin this application for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

The present application relates to computing, and more specifically tothe generation of software models by mapping user selections to one ormore model features as specified by feature definitions.

Efficient, adaptable, and insightful planning systems and methods can beparticularly important in enterprise applications, where accurateplanning and informed decision making can enhance enterprise profits.Conventionally, static generic planning models include “one size fitsall” models, where static planning software characterized by the staticmodels attempts to accommodate the needs of various types oforganizations or usage domains. However, accommodation of widely diverseplanning needs of different organizations can be difficult, leading toplan inaccuracies and inefficiencies. Accordingly, the static planningsoftware often exhibits sub-optimal fits between the offered softwarefunctionality and the needs of different companies and software-usagedomains.

To improve the fit between planning-software features and the needs ofdifferent companies, planning models and associated planning softwareare often built from scratch to meet the needs of a specific businessand/or application. However, developing such fully custom planningsoftware can be prohibitively time consuming and costly.

To reduce software development costs, prebuilt static planning modelsmay be customized for specific business/application needs. However,conventional software customization mechanisms are often complex,requiring specialized software developers to develop, deploy, andproperly integrate the customizations. Accordingly, use of suchconventional customization mechanisms to customize prebuilt staticplanning models and associated software can also be undesirably timeconsuming and costly.

Hence, while use of static prebuilt default planning models may reducesoftware implementation costs (over that of building such static modelsfrom scratch), conventional methods for customizing such static prebuiltmodels can also be undesirably time consuming, e.g., requiringspecialized software developers to manipulate and/or add extensions tothe prebuilt package to accommodate unique or specific business needs.

SUMMARY

An example method facilitates construction of and/or adaptation of adynamic software model (e.g., as may be used by a customeradministrator), which may then be deployed as a cloud-basedincrementally updatable software application. The example methodincludes obtaining an initial business planning model; displaying one ormore business questions, wherein the one or more business questionspertain to one or more business planning model artifacts thatcharacterize or describe one or more User Interface (UI) display screensto be generated for an updated business planning model; receiving one ormore answers to the one or more business questions; grouping the one ormore business model artifacts by the one or more answers and/or businessquestions, resulting in one or more groups of the one or more artifacts;determining a difference between one or more aspects of the updatedbusiness planning model to be generated and the initial businessplanning model based on the one or more groups of the one or moreartifacts; and employing a description of the one or more differences togenerate the updated business planning model.

In a more specific embodiment, the example method further includesdetermining one or more sets of software functionality to associate withthe one or more business planning model artifacts. The one or more setsof functionality represent one or more business planning model featuresand/or sets thereof. The one or more predefined business planning modelfeatures may include, for example, one or more of the following:financial statement planning model functionality, workforce planningmodel functionality, capital planning model functionality, and projectsplanning model functionality. The one or more predefined businessplanning model features may include sub-functionality that includes oneor more sub features. The one or more sub-features may include, forexample, one or more of the following: revenue, expense, incomestatement, balance sheet statement, cash flow functionality, and so on.

The one or more artifacts may include, for example, metadata pertainingto a layout of the one or more UI display screens. The one or moreartifacts may further include descriptions of one or more of:dashboards, forms, form folders, rule sets, data dimensions, members ofdata dimensions, new dimensions, data maps, lists, and so on. The one ormore artifacts may include independent artifacts or dependent artifacts,e.g., a composite form, rule set, and so on.

In the specific embodiment, the step of selecting, determining, orotherwise obtaining an initial business planning model further includesdetermining an initial set of the one or more business questions; andconstructing the initial business planning model in accordance with theone or more business questions. The step of determining a difference mayfurther include using delta encoding to generate a file describingupdates to apply to the initial business planning model so as to yieldthe updated business planning model.

The description (called the delta) is included in the file, which may bean eXtensible Markup Language (XML) file. The specific example methodmay further include selectively deploying an updated cloud-basedenterprise software application characterized by the updated businessplanning model, and repeating the method so as to further update theupdated business planning model to further meet existing or new businessrequirements.

The step of employing a description may further include obtaining pluralbusiness planning models, including the updated business planning model,and providing one or more UI controls to enable defining one or moreinterdependencies between one or more artifacts or features of theupdated business planning model and one or more other artifacts orfeatures of other business planning models of the plural businessmodels. Interdependencies between artifacts and features of a singlebusiness model may also be accommodated similarly.

The specific example method further includes propagating furtheradjustments to the updated business planning model in accordance withthe dependencies, so as to ensure that conflicts are not introducedamong the plural business planning models via the updating of thebusiness planning model.

Accordingly, various embodiments discussed herein enable generation anduse of dynamic multidimensional business planning models (also simplycalled planning models herein) in accordance with business questionsand/or answers thereto. A developer framework may facilitate defining aninitial set of business questions, called queries, which are associatedwith software functionality (e.g., features and/or groups thereof),which are in turn associated with artifacts (and/or groups thereof),e.g., via feature-artifact mappings.

After development and deployment of an initial business planning model,the initial planning model may then be selectively updated based onresponses to business questions. The responses or answers are thenusable to dynamically generate a new model and associated UI displayscreen flows.

The development framework, and/or a framework in which the softwareapplication embodying the business model is deployed, may furthersupport addition of flex dimensions to the business planning model, andmay further support handling and accommodating any impacts of the flexdimensions on attributes, features, and/or other aspects of the businessplanning model.

The frameworks may support dynamic generation of integrations for newlyadded attributes and features to the business planning model.Accordingly, different business processes (e.g., projects, workforce,capital, financials, etc.) may be adjusted based on responses tobusiness questions such that no conflicts are introduced betweenexisting and/or added processes and/or associated software functionalityduring incremental updates to the business planning model.

By enabling efficient and rapid generation of specialized planningmodels on the fly, various embodiments discussed herein can empowerbusiness users to quickly adapt to changing business planning needsand/or to meet existing business planning requirements. For example, abusiness that plans delivery of services by geography, market, orproduct may readily decide to plan services only by market and not byproduct or geography. Such decisions are then embodied in questionanswers, which are then leveraged to dynamically update the associatedbusiness planning model used by the cloud-based business planningsoftware to which the business user has access.

The underlying mechanisms for updating the business planning model mayleverage model features, artifacts (including dynamically generatedartifacts), business questions, and mappings and/or associationstherebetween, to efficiently integrate business model changes withoutintroducing software conflicts, such as problematic integrations. Flexdimensions may also be employed to facilitate model updating.

Accordingly, various shortcomings of conventional static businessplanning models, e.g., problems with inaccurate fits between offeredfunctionality and business planning needs, are readily overcome by usingembodiments discussed herein, as the dynamic business models areconfigured to enable incremental adaptation of the underlying businessmodel to address specific or individualized business needs.

Hence, by enabling development and deployment of an initial seed dynamicplanning model; then enabling incremental updates to the seed modelbased on answers to business questions (which may be dynamicallygenerated in certain embodiments), the business model may be enhancedover time, thereby enabling the model to grow and adapt into arbitrarilycomplex models to meet the specific needs of users, i.e., customers ofcloud-based software applications embodying the model.

Furthermore, by enabling automatic handling of dependent artifactsdescribing UI display screen aspects or characteristics (e.g., byselectively populating or associating the artifacts with features, i.e.,software functionality) in accordance with answers to businessquestions, business customers have some control over how the businessmodel develops over time. Additional user options enabling the definingof dependencies between different business model features may furtherfacilitate efficient integrations of different software processes andassociated functionality as the business model grows and adapts.

A further understanding of the nature and the advantages of particularembodiments disclosed herein may be realized by reference of theremaining portions of the specification and the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is first a block diagram illustrating a first example system andaccompanying enterprise computing environment configured to enableinitial development of a dynamic business planning model, incrementalupdating of the business planning model to meet specific enterpriseneeds, and use of the resulting updated business planning model as partof a cloud-based enterprise software application or service.

FIG. 2 is a first process flow diagram illustrating a processimplemented in part via the developer system, planning model generationframework, and model artifact constructor of FIG. 1 to generate aninitial dynamic business planning model that is ready for customer useand incremental updating and feature enabling.

FIG. 3 illustrates example relationships between business questions(called queries herein), artifacts, features, and groupings thereof, andhow such associations are leveraged to build an initial dynamic businessplanning model and/or to incrementally update the business planningmodel, which is then usable as part of a deployed cloud-based softwareapplication and/or service.

FIG. 4 illustrates a second example process flow for selectively loadingartifacts for enabled or available sets of software functionality(called features) for a dynamic business planning model or updatedversion thereof.

FIG. 5 is a second block diagram illustrating an example architecture ofa deployed cloud-based software application that leverages the dynamicbusiness planning model constructed and deployed via the system of FIG.1.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a first example method implementable via theembodiments of FIGS. 1-5.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a second example method implementable viathe embodiments of FIGS. 1-6.

FIG. 8 shows a first example UI display screen that may be accessiblevia the developer system(s) of FIG. 1 and illustrating developer optionsfor specifying queries (e.g., business questions), which may then beanswered by a customer administrator via the customer administratorsystem(s) of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 shows a second example UI display screen that may be accessiblevia the developer system(s) of FIG. 1 and illustrating developer optionsfor mapping (e.g., associating) UI artifacts to features orfunctionality.

FIG. 10 shows a third example UI display screen that may be accessiblevia the customer administrator system(s) of FIG. 1 and illustratingadministrator options to provide answers to business questions, whichmay then be used to automatically adapt the associated softwareapplication in accordance with the provided answers.

FIG. 11 is a second block diagram illustrating example XML file inputsto an example embodiment of the runtime model generator of the system ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 12 is a third block diagram illustrating an example messagingsequence between the customer administrator system, UI generator, andruntime model generator of the system of FIG. 1 for a particular exampleuse case.

FIG. 13 illustrates a portion of an example XML file (calledFeatures_UI.xml herein) defining a UI display screen accessible via thecustomer administrator system of FIGS. 1 and 12, which provides one ormore user options for specifying answer(s) to one or more businessquestions, the answer(s) of which may be input to the runtime modelgenerator as shown in FIG. 11 via an updated XML file that incorporatesthe answer(s).

FIG. 14-1 illustrates additional portions of the XML file of FIG. 13after a customer administrator has specified “Revenue/Gross Margin” asan answer to the query of FIG. 13, resulting in updating of the XMLfile.

FIG. 14-2 is a continuation of FIG. 14-1 and illustrates exampleportions of a second XML file (called Features.xml herein) that isautomatically updated responsive to the answer(s) to businessquestion(s) specified in the updated XML file of FIG. 14-1, which hasbeen updated in accordance with the answer(s) specified via a customeradministrator using the UI display screen portion of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15-1 illustrates additional example portions of the second XML fileof FIG. 14-2, and shows how the different example portions definedifferent deployed application UI display screen sections and associatedfunctionality represented by artifacts and the associated selectedfeature that corresponds to an answer provided via the UI display screensection shown in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15-2 is a continuation of FIG. 15-2 and illustrates additionalexample UI display screen sections of a deployed application, the UIdisplay screen sections of which are defined via the second XML fileshown in FIG. 15-1.

FIG. 16 is a general block diagram of a system and accompanyingcomputing environment usable to implement the embodiments of FIGS. 1-7.

FIG. 17 is a general block diagram of a computing device usable toimplement the embodiments of FIGS. 1-8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

For the purposes of the present discussion, an enterprise may be anyorganization of persons, such as a business, university, government,military, and so on. The terms “organization” and “enterprise” areemployed interchangeably herein. A talent management system orapplication may be any software application or functionality forfacilitating selecting, organizing, or managing enterprise personnel ortasks performed thereby. Personnel of an organization may include anypersons associated with the organization, such as employees,contractors, board members, and so on.

Software functionality may be any function, capability, or feature,e.g., stored or arranged data, that is provided via computer code, i.e.,software. Generally, software functionality may be accessible via use ofa user interface (UI), and accompanying user interface controls andfeatures. Software functionality may include actions, such as retrievingdata pertaining to a business object; performing an enterprise-relatedtask, such as promoting, hiring, and firing enterprise personnel,placing orders, calculating analytics, launching certain dialog boxes,performing searches, and so on.

For the purposes of the present discussion, a UI control may be anydisplayed element or component of a UI display screen, which is adaptedto enable a user to provide input, view data, and/or otherwise interactwith a UI. Additional examples of UI controls include buttons, drop downmenus, menu items, tap-and-hold functionality, and so on. Similarly, aUI control signal may be any signal that is provided as input forsoftware, wherein the input affects a UI display screen and/oraccompanying software application associated with the software.

A UI display screen may be any software-generated depiction presented ona display. Examples of depictions include windows, dialog boxes,displayed tables, and any other graphical UI features, such as UIcontrols, presented to a user via software, such as a browser. A UIdisplay screen contained within a single border is called a view orwindow. Views or windows may include sections, such as sub-views orsub-windows, dialog boxes, graphs, tables, and so on. In certain cases,a UI display screen may refer to all application windows presentlydisplayed on a display. The terms UI display screen and screen may beemployed interchangeably herein.

A UI display screen generated by a networked software application andaccessible via a browser is called an application page (or simply page)herein. A UI component may be an application page or collection ofrelated or linked pages.

An enterprise computing environment may be any collection of computingresources of an organization used to perform one or more tasks involvingcomputer processing. An example enterprise computing environmentincludes various computing resources distributed across a network andmay further include private and shared content on Intranet Web servers,databases, files on local hard discs or file servers, email systems,document management systems, portals, and so on.

Enterprise software may be any set of computer code that is adapted tofacilitate implementing any enterprise-related process or operation,such as managing enterprise resources, managing customer relations, andso on. Example resources include Human Resources (HR) (e.g., enterprisepersonnel), financial resources, assets, employees, business contacts,sales data, and so on, of an enterprise. Examples of enterprise softwareinclude Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software for facilitatingmanaging enterprise activities (e.g., product planning, inventorymanagement, marketing, sales, and so on). Example ERP applicationsinclude Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Human Capital Management(HCM), Business Intelligence (BI), enterprise asset management,enterprise asset management, corporate performance and governanceapplications, and so on.

The terms “enterprise software” and “enterprise application” may beemployed interchangeably herein. However, an enterprise application mayinclude one or more enterprise software modules or components, such asUI software modules or components.

Note that conventionally, while certain financial tools, tables, and soon (e.g., balance sheets, cash flow statements, etc.), are standardized,different companies may prefer to maintain and view operational andfinancial planning data and tasks differently, e.g., in accordance withdifferent business and computing environment requirements. This can beparticularly true at granular levels, i.e., where detailed enterprisedata must be observed and analyzed in accordance with business planningobjectives.

For example, a particular service company may experience substantialcompensation expenses (e.g., payments to employees, contractors, etc.),which may represent the primary driver for expense planning. Similarly,a small consulting company may experience substantial travel expenses,which may represent a primary driver for expense planning. Accordingly,two different service companies may base their expense planning onsubstantially different drivers.

Similarly, different companies may employ different methods ofaccounting, e.g., a direct method or indirect method of accounting.Accordingly, different companies may rely upon different drivers forhandling accounting details.

Furthermore, the granularity of planning (i.e., the level of detaildemanded or required) may vary across different companies and/orbusiness types, segments, or other domains. For example, a Fast MovingConsumer Goods (FMCG) company may plan revenue by product, market,channel, and segment, whereas an Information Technology (IT) company mayplan revenue by service, market, and customers. Accordingly, differentcompanies may rely upon different drivers for various types of planning.

In addition, while certain companies may prefer to perform businessplanning using a collection of standard or common drivers and associatedsoftware modules and functionality (e.g., standard labor, material,etc.), other companies may prefer to perform direct entry for projectexpenses, revenue, etc.

Accordingly, different businesses may have different planningrequirements or needs, which can be difficult to meet using conventionalstatic business planning modules and associated software applications.Certain embodiments discussed more fully below provide systems andaccompanying mechanisms and methods for enabling dynamic adaptation ofan existing initial business planning model (which may be called a seedmodel herein), thereby enabling the initial seed planning model touniquely grow to meet individual or specific needs of a given businessor organization.

For clarity, certain well-known components, such as hard drives,processors, operating systems, power supplies, routers, Internet ServiceProviders (ISPs), identity management systems, workflow orchestrators,process schedulers, integration brokers, Tenant Automation Systems(TASs), OnLine Analytical Processing (OLAP) engines, certain webservices, virtual machines, middleware, enterprise databases, and so on,are not necessarily explicitly called out in the figures. However, thoseskilled in the art with access to the present teachings will know whichcomponents to implement and how to implement them to meet the needs of agiven implementation.

FIG. 1 is first a block diagram illustrating a first example system 10and accompanying enterprise computing environment configured to enableinitial development of a dynamic business planning model 18, incrementalupdating of the business planning model 18 to meet specific enterpriseneeds, and use of the resulting updated business planning model 18 aspart of a cloud-based enterprise software application or service 54.

The example system 10 includes a developer computer system 12 (alsosimply called the developer system or the developer computer herein) incommunication with a planning model generation framework 14 and a modelartifact constructor 16. The model artifact constructor 16 may leveragepreexisting functionality, e.g., as may be available via a nativedesigner in a cloud computing system implemented as part of the system10.

The planning model generation framework 14 and model artifactconstructor 16 that are leveraged to develop the business planning model18, may further communicate with a packing, delivery, deployment andruntime system and/or computing framework 20. The modules 14-20 may behosted in a cloud, i.e., a server system accessible via a network, suchas the Internet.

A cloud-deployed package 54, i.e., software application, embodying thebusiness planning model 18 is said to be hosted in the cloud, i.e.,cloud-based. For the purposes of the present discussion, cloud-basedsoftware may be any software run on one or more servers and accessibleto client systems via a network used to communicate with the software.

In the present example embodiment, the cloud-deployed package 54 mayrepresent a software application that may provide one or more webservices for use by other software applications, and/or may providecloud-services, e.g., on a subscription basis, to one or more clientsystems, e.g., a customer administrator system 22, and a customerend-user system 24. For the purposes of the present discussion, the term“customer” refers to any user, such as an administrator and/or end user,e.g., who may be part of an organization that has access to thecloud-deployed package 54.

In the present example embodiment, the developer system 12 accesses themodel artifact constructor 16 and the planning model generationframework 14 via a network, such as the Internet. The developer system12 may include a browser used to browse to the network address thatprovides access to functionality provided by the model artifactconstructor 16 and planning model generation framework 14.

After browsing to a network address allotted for system developers,designers, and/or other qualified personnel, various dynamicmodel-building functionality is accessible to the developer system,e.g., via various developer UI display screens 26.

Software functionality may be any function, capability, or feature,e.g., stored or arranged data, that is provided via computer code, i.e.,software. Generally, software functionality may be accessible via use ofa user interface (UI), and accompanying user interface controls andfeatures. Software functionality may include actions, such as retrievingdata pertaining to a business object; performing an enterprise-relatedtask, such as promoting, hiring, and firing enterprise personnel,placing orders, calculating analytics, launching certain dialog boxes,performing searches, and so on.

Software functionality, or a set of software functionalities, thatis/are associated with or used by a business planning model, is called amodel feature (or simply feature) herein. Examples of features include,but are not limited to, software functionality for implementing indirectcash flow statements, income statements, and so on.

For the purposes of the present discussion, a UI control may be anydisplayed element or component of a UI display screen, which is adaptedto enable a user to provide input, view data, and/or otherwise interactwith a UI. Additional examples of UI controls include buttons, drop downmenus, menu items, tap-and-hold functionality, and so on. Similarly, aUI control signal may be any signal that is provided as input forsoftware, wherein the input affects a UI display screen and/oraccompanying software application associated with the software. Theterms UI control and UI component (or simply component) may be employedinterchangeably herein.

A descriptor or characteristic of a business planning model and/orassociated UI display screens and/or UI layout, is called a modelartifact (or simply artifacts) herein. Examples of model artifactsinclude, but are not limited to metadata (e.g., metadata describing a UIlayout or UI model framework), dashboards, business rules, forms,dimensions, and so on.

Artifacts may represent or be associated with categories of features orsoftware functionality that will be associated with the artifacts. Whenfunctionality is associated with a business model artifact, the artifactis said to be seeded with the functionality or feature.

Artifacts and features may be dependent or independent. A dependentartifact or feature is one that relies upon the existence or operationof another artifact or feature for proper functioning. Similarly, anindependent artifact or feature may be added to a model withoutrequiring special handling of interdependencies, as discussed more fullybelow. Examples of potential dependent artifacts include, but are notlimited to composite forms, rule sets, and so on.

A valid artifact may be any artifact that may be associated with (e.g.,seeded with) a feature that is available for a business planning model.The availability of a feature to an artifact may be defined in aninitial business planning model 18, e.g., by a developer using businessplanning model designer software represented by the planning modelgeneration framework 14 and model artifact constructor 16 of FIG. 1.

In the present example embodiment, the developer UI display screens 26include a query-selection UI display screen (and/or set of UI controls)28, a feature-selection UI display screen 30, an artifact-selection UIdisplay screen 32, and an artifact and feature dependency handling UIdisplay screen 34.

The planning model generation framework 14 includes a flex-dimensionframework 36, a feature-artifact mapping module 38, a runtime modelgenerator 40, a dynamic functionality integrator 42, and a UI generator44.

The generated dynamic business model 18, which may be defined by and/orspecified via an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) document, includes aspecification 48 of the business planning model 18, and optionally,embedded question generator code (or a link to code) 50 and answerincorporator 52, e.g., for facilitating incorporating answers tobusiness questions, as may be provided via the customer administratorsystem 22, as discussed more fully below.

The packaging, delivery, deployment, and runtime system 20 hosts andruns the deployed cloud-based software package or application 54.Functionality of the deployed application 54 is accessible to thecustomer end-user client system 24.

Note that in general, groupings of various modules of the system 10 areillustrative and may vary, e.g., certain modules may be combined withother modules or implemented inside of other modules, or the modules mayotherwise be distributed differently (than shown) among a network orwithin one or more computing devices or virtual machines, withoutdeparting from the scope of the present teachings. For example, thequestion generator 50 and answer incorporator 52 shown as part of thedynamic business planning model 18 may instead, or in addition, beincorporated into the planning model generation framework 14.

Furthermore, certain modules of the planning model generation framework14 may be implemented client-side, e.g., on the developer system 12. Ingeneral, certain server-side, i.e., cloud-based modules (i.e., runningon a server or server system) may be implemented client-side (e.g.,running on a client computer communicating with a server), and viceversa, in a manner different than shown in FIG. 1.

In an example scenario, a business model developer (also called designerherein) employs the developer system 12, e.g., the artifact-selectionscreen 32, to specify, access, and/or configure model artifacts,leveraging the model artifact constructor 16. The artifact-selectionscreen 32 presents one or more UI controls (which may provide so-calleduser options, or simply options, herein) for facilitating developerconstruction, selection, and configuration of model artifacts, as wellas UI controls enabling configuration and/or specification of mappingsand/or rules associated with the artifacts. The mappings discussedherein refer to associations between business model artifacts andfeatures, and are also called feature-artifact and/or artifact-featuremappings herein.

After developing and/or configuring a set of one or more business modelartifacts, e.g., by leveraging the artifact-selection screen(s) 32 andthe associated model artifact constructor 16, the resulting artifactsmay be stored locally or via the server system that hosts the modules14-20.

Next, in the present example scenario, the developer employs thefeature-selection screen 30 to select and/or configure a set of businessmodel features. Feature construction and/or selection may also befacilitated via the model artifact constructor 16 and/or code running aspart of the planning model generation framework 14, e.g., via coderunning on the feature-artifact mapping module 38.

After initial selection and/or configuration of a set of one or moremodel artifacts and one or more model features, the developer may employone or more UI controls of the artifact-selection screen 32 to configureand/or specify initial mappings and/or associated mapping rules thatdefine associations between the configured artifacts and features.

The artifact-selection and mapping options screen 32 may include UIcontrols that leverage functionality of the feature-artifact mappingmodule 38 of the planning model generation framework 14. Thefeature-artifact mapping module 38 may include additional code forimplementing automatic feature-artifact mappings in accordance withgroupings of business questions and/or answers to the businessquestions, e.g., so as to automatically update the dynamic businessplanning model 18, as discussed more fully below.

The UI generator 44 of the planning model generation framework 14includes code for generating rendering instructions to render thedeveloper-side UI display screens 26, and further includes code forgenerating rendering instructions for UI display screens of thecloud-deployed package 54, which are exposed to the customer end-usersystem 24.

The developer-side query-selection and layout options screen 28 includesUI controls and access to associated functionality for defining,selecting, and/or grouping business questions (called queries) to beexposed in a UI display screen accessible to the customer administratorsystem 22. The UI display screens displayed as part of the dynamicbusiness planning model 18 and exposed to the customer administratorsystem 22 include a UI display screen (an example of which is shown inFIG. 10) that lists business questions that have been enabled for theexisting dynamic business planning model 18.

The initial business questions selected by a developer using thequery-selection and layout options screen 28 may be listed and/orotherwise formatted in accordance with developer-selected layout optionsprovided via the query-selection and layout options screen 28. UIcontrols of the query-selection and layout options screen 28 providedeveloper-access to associated functionality (e.g., functionality ofwhich may be provided via the UI generator 44 and feature-artifactmapping module 38 and/or other modules of the planning model generationframework 14) for defining, selecting, and/or otherwise configuringbusiness questions and how the questions will be laid out in a UIdisplay screen exposed to a customer administrator, e.g., via thecustomer administrator system 22.

Note that mappings of artifacts (which are grouped by business questionor by business question group or type) to features may depend, in part,on the business questions established via use of the query-selection andlayout options screen 28.

The developer may further specify dependency-handling options via one ormore UI controls provided in the dependency-handling options screen 34.The dependencies may include dependencies between business questions(e.g., in cases where the answer to one business question may affectother questions or answers thereto), and dependencies between differentartifacts (and/or groups or types thereof), and dependencies betweendifferent features (and/or groups or types thereof). Such dependenciesmay require that a change (e.g., difference) in one question, artifact,and/or feature, be propagated to another question, artifact, and/orfeature.

The difference is called a delta. Various embodiments discussed hereinmay employ delta processing to ensure that dependencies are handledwithout introducing conflicts. This involves referencing the establishedassociations and associated selected configuration options (e.g., as maybe specified by a developer via the dependency-handling options screen34) and making adjustments to the business model based thereon and inresponse to a detected change in an artifact, feature, question, etc.

Accordingly, the developer system 12 forwards business questionselections and associated identifications, descriptions, and/orconfiguration information (e.g., as may be provided responsive todeveloper manipulation of the query-selection and layout options screen28) to the business planning model generation framework 14. In addition,various additional UI controls included among the developer UI displayscreens 26 may enable specification and forwarding of additionalinformation to the planning model generation framework 14, including,but not limited to additional business model configuration information,e.g., model artifact specifications, an artifact file listing artifactsfor an initial business planning model, component (e.g., UI control)dependencies (between UI controls to be rendered and exposed via thecloud-deployed package 54), artifact grouping information,feature-artifact mapping data, delta file specifications (e.g.,describing dependencies between various questions, artifacts, and/orfeatures), feature specifications, flex dimension configurationparameters and/or specifications, and so on.

The business planning model generation framework 14 then processes theinputs received via the developer system 12 to automatically constructan initial business planning model, also called the seed model. Someexample modules usable to construct the initial dynamic businessplanning model 18 and to implement incremental updates thereto, include,but are not limited to the flex dimension framework 36, thefeature-artifact mapping module 38, the runtime model generator 40, thedynamic integrator 42, and the UI generator 44.

The flex dimension framework 36 includes computer code for enablingcustomer administrators (e.g., using the customer administrator system22) and/or customer end users (e.g., using the customer end-user system14) to add flex dimensions to various UI display screens exposed via thecloud-deployed package 54. The flex dimension framework 36 then enablesextension of the business planning model 18 in accordance with the addedflex dimensions. Note that whether the initial business planning model18 supports flex dimensions, which flex dimensions, if any, aresupported, and behaviors of the flex dimensions, may be specified by adeveloper via one or more UI controls provided in the developer UIdisplay screens 26.

The feature-artifact mapping module 38 includes computer code forenabling automatic implementation of changes introduced to the dynamicbusiness planning model 18 in response to answers provided in responseto business questions posed to an administrator (or other authorizeduser) of the customer administrator system 22. In particular, when anadministrator provides a new answer to a question (e.g., which may beposed via a UI prompt, such as a check box), any artifacts associatedwith the question are then automatically populated with features via thefeature-artifact mapping module 38. The resulting populated artifactsare then incorporated into an updated dynamic business planning model 18after any artifact and/or feature dependencies are handled and/or deltasare processed.

The runtime model generator 40 includes computer code for automaticallygenerating a new or updated dynamic business planning model 18 forincorporation into the cloud-deployed package 54. The updates to therunning cloud-deployed package 54 by the runtime model generator 40 maybe implemented via patching and/or other known technologies foradjusting running software applications.

The dynamic integrator 42, which may communicate with other modules ofthe planning model generation framework 14, facilitates implementingdelta differencing processing to accommodate newly added functionalitywithout introducing conflicts in the updated business planning model 18.The integrator 42 may further include computer code for facilitatingand/or ensuring efficient interoperability between differentintercommunicating business planning models and associated softwareapplications deployed via the packaging, delivery, deployment, andruntime system 20.

Note that information exchange between the developer system 12 andbetween the various cloud-based modules 14-20 may be implemented viaexchange of XML files that are transferred therebetween. Furthermore,the dynamic business planning model 18 may be implemented substantiallyvia an XML document defining the model.

In the present specific example embodiment, the dynamic businessplanning model 18 includes an adaptation module 46, which includescomputer code for facilitating some self-adaptation of the dynamicbusiness planning model 18. Note that in other embodiments, theadaptation module 46 may be included instead in the planning modelgeneration framework 14.

In the present example embodiment, the adaptation module 36 includes, inaddition to a description of the business planning model (including adescription of existing questions, artifacts, and associated features),a specification of code for a dynamic question generator 50 and ananswer incorporator 52.

The dynamic question generator 50 may include computer code (and/orlinks thereto) for automatically adjusting a list of business questionsexposed via a UI of the customer administrator system 22, e.g., inresponse to one or more answers provided thereby by an administratorusing the customer administrator system 22. This may be particularlyuseful for reconfiguring the listing of displayed questions in responseto an answer to a question that affects the validity of other questionsdisplayed in (or to be displayed among) the listing of businessquestions.

The answer incorporator 52 may include computer code (and/or linksthereto) for adjusting groupings of artifacts by answers and/or answertype or category. Answers to the business questions may be evaluated byevaluation logic to determine how a new listing of questions should begenerated and laid out (in the UI exposed to the customer administratorsystem 22).

Note that various modules 36-44 of the business planning modelgeneration framework 14 may intercommunicate, e.g., via interfacingfunctionality incorporated therein. Similarly modules 48-52 of theadaptation module 46 of the dynamic business planning model 18 mayintercommunicate.

Once the initial business planning model 18 is developed and/orconfigured via the developer system 12, it can be deployed as thecloud-deployed package 54, which is then made available to the customeradministrator system 22 and customer end-user system 24. The customeradministrator may then use the customer administrator system 22 toanswer business questions. The resulting answers then feed back to theframework modules 14-20, which then adapt or update the dynamic businessplanning model 18 in accordance with the answers. The adjustment to thedynamic business planning model 18 is effectuated through use ofartifacts, which are then mapped or seeded with features correspondingto the answered questions, and in accordance with the answers to theanswered questions, as discussed more fully below.

Accordingly, the present example embodiment may enable customers tosubstantially forgo, configuring and/or updating business planningsoftware. Several business planning processes (which may be associatedwith different business planning models and/or sub-models) may beselectively and incrementally rolled out to customer end users (e.g.,users of the customer end-user system(s) 24). Furthermore, integrationbetween added features (e.g., sets of software functionality associatedwith different business processes) is automatically accommodated, e.g.,via the dynamic integrator 42 and feature-artifact mapping module 38 ofthe business planning model generation framework 14.

Furthermore, by enabling customer addition of and configuration of flexdimensions to the dynamic business planning model 18, the resultingautomatically handled dimensions can significantly reduce implementationtime for customers to implement new sought features and associatedbusiness model artifacts.

Customers now have significant flexibility and options for configuringvarious planning business processes. Customers can leverage theseconfiguration capabilities, reduce implementation time, and continuebuilding the model over time, as necessary to meet the needs of thecustomer organization.

Furthermore, business planning models developed and deployed using thesystem 10 may now readily evolve and adapt to meet different and/orchanging business needs while remaining consistent withindustry-standard best practices. Furthermore, as best practices change,the dynamic business planning model 18 may adapt to comply with the newbest practices.

FIG. 2 is a first process flow diagram illustrating a process 60implemented in part via the developer system 12, planning modelgeneration framework 14, and model artifact constructor 16 of FIG. 1 togenerate an initial dynamic business planning model 18 that is ready forcustomer use and incremental updating and feature enabling.

The example process 60 includes an initial step 62, which involvesidentification and selection of initial business questions and features.The initial business questions and features are then leveraged to designand build business model artifacts in an artifact-building step 64.

Furthermore, in a screen-building step 66, initial business questionsand features are further leveraged to dynamically generate one or moreUI display screens for listing the business questions (e.g., which maybe exposed to a customer administrator via the customer administratorsystem 22 of FIG. 1).

Note that the artifact-building step 64 and the screen-building step 66may occur in parallel, and an adjustment to one may affect the other,e.g., an adjustment to an artifact, group of artifacts, or availableartifacts may in turn affect which business questions are displayed in aUI display screen built in the screen-building step 66. Similarly,adjustments to listed business questions may affect which artifacts willbe included among the available artifacts constructed via theartifact-building step 64.

Note that the screen-building step 66 may further include determininghow various business questions are to be presented and laid out in anassociated UI display screen, e.g., which UI controls (e.g., checkboxes, fields, etc.) are to be used to receive answers to businessquestions, how the business questions are to be grouped or ordered inthe UI display screen, and so on.

After the questions (and associated UI display screens listing thequestions) and artifacts are designed and built (and/or otherwisedescribed), a grouping step 68 is performed.

The grouping step 68 includes grouping model artifacts (designed andbuilt in step 64) by business question (and/or group thereof, asspecified in the screen-building step 66).

Subsequently, a flex-dimension step 70 includes adding any flexdimensions to the associated dynamic business planning model, e.g., soas to extend the business model and associated functionality offered by(or otherwise defined by) the dynamic business planning module.

After the initial configuration steps 62-70, the associated businessplanning model is deployed in a deployment step 72. The deployed modelrepresents an initial business planning model, i.e., the seed model,which may then be further adapted, e.g., incrementally updated.

FIG. 3 illustrates example relationships 80 between business questions(called queries herein) 82, artifacts 88, features 86, and/or groupingsthereof, and how such associations are leveraged to build an initialdynamic business planning model 98 and/or to incrementally update thebusiness planning model 98 (corresponding to the model 18 of FIG. 1),which is then usable as part of a deployed cloud-based softwareapplication 104 (corresponding to the deployed package 54 of FIG. 1)and/or service.

A set of identified business questions 82 may be grouped into pluralgroups of one or more business questions 84. Each of the businessquestion groupings 84 are in turn associated with respective definedgroupings of one or more business artifacts 88, i.e., the artifacts ofthe artifact groupings 88 are grouped by business question or groupsthereof 84.

The artifact groupings 88 are then mapped to, i.e., associated withgroupings of one or more features (e.g., sets of software functionality)in accordance with a mapping defined via a feature-attribute mappingsmodule 96 (which may be implemented via the feature-artifact mappingmodule 38 of FIG. 1).

Note that the business questions and/or groups 84 may includeinterdependencies 90, which are then carried forward to the associatedartifacts, and appear as artifact interdependencies 92. The artifactinterdependencies 92 are then carried forward and manifest as featureinterdependencies 94. The interdependencies 92, 94 may be accommodatedand/or specified via the attribute-feature mappings module 96.

Functionality of the dynamic integrator 42 of FIG. 1 may also beemployed to ensure that dependencies associated with theattribute-feature mappings 96 are implemented without introducingconflicts between functionality implemented via the associateddeployable package 104, which embodies a business model definition 98that is based, at least in part, on the artifact-feature mappings 96.

Note that the model definitions 98 and the deployable package 104 ofFIG. 3 may correspond to the dynamic business planning model 18 and thecloud-deployed package 54, respectively, of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates a second example process flow 110 for selectivelyloading artifacts for enabled or available sets of softwarefunctionality (called features) for a dynamic business planning model orupdated version thereof.

The second example process flow 110 includes an initialfeature-derivation step 112, which includes deriving enabled features(i.e., enabled for a subject business planning model). Descriptions ofthe enabled features are included in a feature-artifact mapping file(e.g., as may be output by the attribute-feature mappings module 96 ofFIG. 3).

A subsequent parsing step 114 includes parsing the feature-artifactmapping file (which may be an XML file), enabling analysis of individualartifacts thereof. After parsing, an artifact-processing step 116 isperformed.

The artifact-processing step 116 includes analyzing and/or processingeach artifact and artifact type (e.g., group of artifacts) in accordancewith remaining steps 118-138.

The remaining steps 118-138 include an artifact-validity-checking step118, which involves checking whether an artifact is both valid andenabled for an associated feature. If the artifact is valid and enabled,then it is processed in accordance with subsequent steps 120-138.Similarly, the remaining steps 120-138 are performed for each valid andenabled artifact of the feature-artifact mapping file, as determined theartifact-validity-checking step 118.

The remaining steps 120-138 include determining if an artifact is adimension in a dimension-checking step 120; if not, determining whetherit is a form in a form-checking step 122; if not, determining whether itis another type of dimension in another artifact-type checking step 124.Accordingly, each artifact type may be specially processed in accordancewith the artifact type.

For example, if the artifact is a dimension, a dimension-loading step126 is performed; if a form, a form loading step 128 is performed; ifanother type, another loading operation 130 is performed for thatartifact type. If the artifact is not of a particular type, the artifactmay be loaded via a general artifact loading step 132.

If the artifact has been newly added, e.g., in response to acustomer-administrator-supplied answer to a business question, asdetermined by a new-artifact-checking step 134, additional deltadifferencing processing is performed in a delta-applying step 136 beforeany additional artifact post processing is performed in apost-processing step 138.

If the artifact is not a newly added artifact, the post-processing step138 is performed. Note that the post-processing step 138 may implementdifferent types of post processing for different types of loadedartifacts, without departing from the scope of the present teachings.For example, if the artifact is a dimension, post processing may involveselective application of any member actions (i.e., actions applicable tomembers or sub-dimensions or elements of the dimension), and anyadditional deltas (that have not already been applied) that may beapplicable to dimension members may be applied.

Note that when an artifact is loaded, it is seeded (also calledpopulated with) associated feature(s), such that the artifact will belinked to the functionality of the feature. Accordingly, when the modelartifact is used and/or accessed via a UI display screen exposed to acustomer end user, use thereof will be coupled with the mappedfunctionality and/or set of functionality (i.e., feature).

FIG. 5 is a second block diagram illustrating an example architecture150 of a deployed cloud-based software application 154-164 thatleverages the dynamic business planning model constructed and deployedto a cloud 152 (i.e., a network-coupled server system) via the system 10of FIG. 1. The software application 154-164 may correspond to orrepresent the cloud-deployed package 54 of FIG. 1 (also labeled as 54 inFIG. 5).

The second example system and accompanying architecture 150 includes thedeployed software application 54 in communication with the developersystem 12, customer administrator system 22, and the customer end-usersystem 24. Note that the various computer systems 12, 22, 24communicating with the cloud-based software application 54 may beconsidered client systems of the deployed software application 54.

The example deployed cloud-based software application 54 includes acontroller 154 in communication with various processes 156-162, whichmay leverage code for rendering one or more prebuilt UI display screens164, e.g., dashboards, analytic reports, and so on. Note that thevarious processes 156-162 may represent, i.e., embody, different dynamicbusiness planning models, which may in turn represent sub-models of alarger dynamic business planning model that incorporates all of themodels associated with the respective business processes 156-162.

In the present example embodiment, the controller 154 includesinterfacing code for facilitating intercommunications and integrationsbetween the various processes 156-162, and further includes code forfacilitating configuration, access, and control of the deployed package54 by one or more of the client systems 22, 22, 24.

The example controller 154 includes an incremental update handlingmodule 166, which includes an example dynamic question generator 168 anda delta handling module 170. The incremental update handling module 166may include, for example, computer code for employing answers tobusiness questions supplied via the customer administration system 22 toupdate the business planning model governing the deployed application54. This may involve processing any resulting changes to the underlyingbusiness planning model (e.g., via the delta handling module 170), andautomatically updating a listing of exposed business questions (e.g.,via the dynamic question generator 168).

Note that the incremental update handling module 166 and sub-modules168, 170 may further communicate with and leverage functionalityafforded by the planning model generation framework 14 of FIG. 1.

Similarly, a dependency handling module 174 and an integration handlingmodel 176 may also leverage the planning model generation framework 14of FIG. 1 to facilitate handling dependencies between functionality anddata used by the various enabled business processes 156-162, and forfacilitating integrating any newly added or enabled processes to thedeployed software application 54.

Note that one or more UI display screens exposed to the customeradministrator system 22 may include options (e.g., UI controls) enablingan administrator to selectively enable and/or disable the processes156-162, and/or to add new processes to the deployed package 54.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a first example method 170 implementable viathe embodiments of FIGS. 1-5. The first example method 170 may beimplemented from the perspective of the customer administrator systems22 of FIGS. 1 and 5.

The first example method 190 facilitates construction of a dynamicbusiness planning model, based on an initial or seed model (e.g., as maybe provided via a developer using the developer system 12 of FIG. 1).Accordingly, an initial model-obtaining step 172 includes obtaining aninitial dynamic business planning model.

A subsequent question-displaying step 174 includes displaying one ormore business questions. The one or more business questions pertain to,i.e., are associated with, one or more business planning model artifactsthat characterize, i.e., describe, one or more UI display screens to begenerated for an updated business planning model.

Next, an input-receiving step 176 includes receiving one or more answersto the one or more business questions.

Subsequently, an artifact-grouping step 178 includes grouping the one ormore business model artifacts by the one or more answers, resulting inone or more groups of the one or more artifacts.

Next, a difference-determining step 180 includes determining adifference (i.e., delta) between one or more aspects of the updatedbusiness planning model to be generated and the initial businessplanning model.

Finally, a model-updating step 182 includes employing a description ofthe one or more differences to generate the updated business planningmodel.

Note that the method 170 may be altered, e.g., steps may be added,augmented, removed, and/or interchanged with other steps, withoutdeparting from the scope of the present teachings. For example, thefirst example method 170 may further include determining one or moresets of functionality to associate with the one or more businessplanning model artifacts, wherein the one or more sets of softwarefunctionality represent one or more business planning model features.

The one or more sets of functionality may include one or more predefinedbusiness planning model features. The one or more predefined businessplanning model features may include, for example, financial statementplanning model functionality, workforce planning model functionality,capital planning model functionality, and/or projects planning modelfunctionality.

The one or more predefined business planning model features may includesub-functionality that includes one or more sub-features. For example,financial statement planning model functionality may further includerevenue, expense, income statement, balance sheet statement, and/or cashflow sub-functionality.

The first example method 170 may be further adjusted to specify that theone or more artifacts include metadata pertaining to a layout of the oneor more UI display screens. The one or more artifacts may include, forexample, descriptions of dashboards, forms, form folders, rule sets,data dimensions, members of data dimensions, new dimensions, data maps,lists, and so on.

The one or more artifacts may include one or more independent artifactsand/or dependent artifacts. The one or more dependent artifacts mayinclude, for example, a composite form and/or a rule set.

The first example method 170 may further include, e.g., as part of theinitial model-obtaining step 172, determining an initial set of the oneor more business questions; then constructing the initial businessplanning model in accordance with the one or more business questions.

The difference-determining step 180 may further include using deltaencoding to generate a file describing updates to apply to the initialbusiness planning model so as to yield the updated business planningmodel. A business model description may be included in the file, whichmay be an XML file.

The first example method 170 may further include selectively deployingan updated cloud-based enterprise software application characterized bythe updated business planning model. The first example method 170 mayfurther include repeating the steps 172-182 of the method 170 torepeatedly update the updated business planning model to meet businessrequirements. Accordingly, the business planning model may beincrementally updatable.

The model-updating step 182 may further include obtaining pluralbusiness planning models, including the updated business planning model,and then providing one or more UI controls to enable defining one ormore interdependencies between one or more artifacts and/or features ofthe updated business planning model and one or more other artifactsand/or features of other business planning models of the plural businessmodels.

Any further adjustments to the updated business planning model may bepropagated, i.e., incorporated into a newly updated model, whileensuring that conflicts are not introduced among the plural businessplanning models by the further updating.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a second example method 190 implementablevia the embodiments of FIGS. 1-6. The second example method 190, whichmay be implemented from the perspective of the developer systems 12,customer administrator system 22, and/or customer end-user system 24 ofFIGS. 1 and 5, facilitates implementing one or more dynamic businessplanning models.

The second example method 190 includes a first step 192, which involvesemploying a first computing framework to define one or more businessquestions.

A second step 194 includes dynamically generating a listing of the oneor more business questions or subset thereof.

A third step 196 includes using a second computing framework forenabling addition of one or more flex dimensions to a specification of abusiness planning model.

A fourth step 198 includes using a third computing framework to generateinstructions for integrating one or more business planning models,including the business planning model.

A fifth step 200 includes incorporating into the business planningmodel, software functionality for enabling incremental updating of thebusiness planning model in response to one or more answers to the one ormore business questions, the one or more business questions furtherdynamically updatable in response to the one or more answers.

Note that the second example method 190 may be further altered and/orreplaced, without departing from the scope of the present teachings. Forexample, an alternative method for implementing a dynamic businessplanning model includes automatically generating one or more businessquestions based on an initial business planning model; exposing the oneor more business questions in a User Interface (UI) display screenaccessible to one or more client computers in communication with acloud-based business planning software application that embodies theinitial business planning model; receiving one or more answers the oneor more business questions; employing the one or more answers toautomatically generate an updated business planning model; using theupdated business planning model to expose one or more new questions inan updated UI display screen, the updated UI display screen generated inaccordance with an updated business planning model embodying the updatedbusiness planning model; and repeating the above steps each time a newanswer is provided to one or more business questions presented in theupdated UI display screen.

Another alternative method for using a dynamic business planning modelas part of a deployed cloud-based software application includesemploying a dynamic business planning model to selectively generate UserInterface (UI) rendering instructions for displaying a dynamic list ofbusiness questions; receiving one or more answers to one or morequestions of the dynamic list of business questions; employing the oneor more answers to: generate one or more business model artifacts;associate the one or more business model artifacts with one or more setsof software functionality; incorporate one or more new features into thebusiness planning model based on a mapping between the one or morebusiness model artifacts and the one or more sets of softwarefunctionality, resulting in an updated business planning model; and thenselectively deploying an update to the cloud-based business softwareapplication, resulting in an updated cloud-based business softwareapplication in response thereto, the cloud-based business softwareapplication based on the updated business planning model.

FIG. 8 shows a first example UI display screen 210 that may beaccessible via the developer system(s) 12 of FIG. 1 and illustratingdeveloper options (corresponding to UI controls 218-236) for specifyingqueries (e.g., business questions), which may then be answered by acustomer administrator via the customer administrator system(s) 22 ofFIG. 1 and accompanying UI display screens (an example of which is shownin FIG. 10).

The UI display screen 210 may be presented via a browser, e.g., after adeveloper or designer has browsed to a URL 212 for a business planningmodel designer tool (as indicated by a title 216 of a section 214 of theassociated development environment). The example UI display screen 210and accompanying controls 218-236 correspond to the query selection andlayout options 28 of FIG. 1.

The example controls 218-236 include various buttons 218-224 foraccessing various sub sections of the planning model designer tool.Additional buttons 226, 228 represent options for adding and/or definingfeatures and queries, respectively, which may be used with a designerpalette 230.

Currently, a developer has selected a UI designer option 220, therebytriggering display of various UI controls 230-236 for selecting businessquestions, i.e., queries for display in a customer administrator UIdisplay screen. The UI controls 230-236 include a designer palette 230that lists various previously defined queries 234, which are searchablevia a search field 232.

A developer may drag queries from the list of queries 234 of thedesigner palette 230 to a query-listing section 236. The query-listingsection 236 is partly representative of how the accompanying queries(represented by check boxes in FIG. 8) will appear in a customeradministrator UI display screen, but includes additional options forcreating dimensions, selecting expense drivers, and so on.

FIG. 9 shows a second example UI display screen 250 that may beaccessible via the developer system(s) 12 of FIG. 1 and illustratingdeveloper options 218-258 for facilitating mapping (e.g., associating)UI artifacts to features or functionality. The various controls 218-258correspond to the artifact selection and mapping options 32 of FIG. 1.

The UI display screen 250 represents another screen of the modeldesigner 216, which appears after user selection of the features button222. The UI controls 218-258 include drop-down menus 252 for selectingfeatures, associated artifact types, and dependencies. For eachcombination of selected feature, artifact type, and dependency,different artifacts (and/or features) may be available for selection insections 256, 258 appearing below the drop-down menus 252.

Example artifacts available for selection are shown in a name section256. Artifacts from the name section 256 may be moved to a selectedsection 258, which lists selected artifacts. The selected artifacts willthen be associated with the specified feature, artifact type, and/ordependency, as selected in the drop-down menus 252.

An option 254 to add features is also provided. Selection of theadd-feature button 254 may trigger display of another UI display screenwith options for selecting and/or otherwise defining or configuring newfeature(s). Newly configured features may appear in the featuredrop-down menu of the drop-down menus 252.

FIG. 10 shows a third example UI display screen 270 that may beaccessible via the customer administrator system(s) 22 of FIG. 1 andillustrating administrator options 278-286 to provide answers tobusiness questions 284, 286, which may then be used to automaticallyadapt the associated software application in accordance with theprovided answers.

The present example UI display screen 70 represents a “configurefinancial statement” section 274, as indicated via a section title 276.The section 274 may be accessed by a customer administrator who hasbrowsed to and logged into a business planning console.

The customer administrator has selected an enable-features button 280from among plural options 278-282, which has triggered display ofvarious queries 284, 286, including revenue-related queries 284 andexpense-related queries 286. Note that some of the listed queries (shownas check boxes) 284, 286 may be implemented as flex dimensions, i.e.,configurable dimensions. Impacts on the underlying business planningmodel caused by selection of flex dimensions can be captured as a deltain an XML file, the delta of which is then mapped to the associatedparent feature (which, for example, may correspond to the revenue/grossmargin query, which may include sub-queries that are implementable viaflex dimensions).

After a customer administrator has answered the queries 284, e.g., byselecting and/or deselecting check boxes, the underlying software modelis automatically revised accordingly, e.g., using mechanisms asdiscussed in FIGS. 1-5 above.

The UI display screen 70 may be dynamically generated. The listedqueries 284, 286 are tied to one or more features, which may be definedin XML. For each feature, the underlying system may automaticallydetermine (e.g., in accordance with previous developer-specifiedsettings) how variable components (for presenting the queries—e.g.,components such as check boxes, radio buttons, drop-down menus, etc.)are to be displayed in a UI display screen (e.g., the UI display screen270).

FIG. 11 is a second block diagram illustrating example XML file inputs302, 304 to an example embodiment of the runtime model generator 40 ofthe system 10 of FIG. 1. The inputs 302, 304 are used by the runtimemodel generator 40 to selectively generate, update, and/or otherwisereplace the dynamically generated planning model 18.

The XML inputs 302, 304 include a first XML file (called Features_UI.xmlherein) 302 that incorporates one or more answers to business questionsprovided via the customer administrator system(s) 22 of FIG. 1. The oneor more answers may be routed and/or processed via the dynamicintegrator 42 and UI generator 44 of FIG. 1. Each business question andassociated answer map to one or more model features, as specified viafeature definitions (e.g., in a Features.xml file) incorporated amongadditional XML inputs 304.

In the present example embodiment, the dynamic integrator 42 of FIG. 1includes code for facilitating integrating input to the runtime modelgenerator 40. The dynamic integrator 42 of FIG. 1 further includes codefor orchestrating the enablement of features for a model by handlingartifact dependencies, and may further include code for controlling whento push metadata to a multidimensional database management system (e.g.,Essbase) and to define the order of loading of artifacts duringinitialization and deployment of a model as a deployed package. Thedynamic integrator 42 of FIG. 1 also includes code for allowingcommunication across various different models for integration purposes.

The runtime model generator 40 leverages functionality of the dynamicintegrator 42 of FIG. 1 to facilitate integrating user input (e.g.,customer administrator input via the Features_UI.xml file) to theruntime generator 40. Accordingly, inputs 302, 304 to the runtimegenerator 40 may be selectively processed by the dynamic integrator 42of FIG. 1 before being input to the runtime model generator 40.

Customer administrator interaction with a UI display screen that hasbeen rendered using rendering instructions obtained from the UIgenerator 44 of FIG. 1 enables capturing of the answers andcorresponding adjustments to the second XML file (called Features.xmlherein) to activate one or more features associated with the one or moreanswers, and to activate or load the artifact(s) associated with thefeature(s), as discussed more fully below. Business question answers mapto one or more model features in a second XML file (Features.xml).

In the present example embodiment, features have been pre-associatedwith artifacts, e.g., as specified via an artifact file list includedamong additional XML inputs 304 from the developer system 12 of FIG. 1.The additional XML inputs 304 further include the second XML file(Features.xml) and one or more delta files (called Delta.xml herein).Note that the artifact file list may be incorporated into another XMLfile (e.g., FileList.xml).

In the present example embodiment, the artifact file list (includedamong the additional inputs 304) includes a list of artifacts that areavailable in the package associated with the model being updated. Anexample FileList.xml includes various “filebase” entries that representartifacts/files in the package. Filenames for each filebase entry aregenerated based on the artifact type, model prefix, and the file basevalue. Note that the accretion, release, and version data may beincorporated into the FileList.xml to specify versioning support for thepackage for use in meeting upgrade requirements. The FileList.xml may beautomatically generated using preexisting cloud services applicationLife Cycle Management (LCM) export functionality.

The following list names various example artifact types that may be usedas name attributes in an example FileList.xml file:

-   -   a. Smartlist—Contains list of all smartlists/enumerations used        in the model.    -   b. Dimension—Contains list of all dimensions used in the model.    -   c. substitutionVariable—Contains list of all        substitution/essbase variables used in the model.    -   d. form—Contains list of all forms including dashboards &        composite forms used in the model.    -   e. menu—List of all menus used in the model.    -   f. userVariable—List of all variables used in the model.    -   g. calcmgrrule—Rule file (contains all calculation manager        artifacts in a single file format).    -   h. validcombo—Valid intersections.    -   i. mapReporting—Data maps.    -   j. dlf—Artifact string file for various locales.

In the present example embodiment, the second XML file (Features.xml)included among the additional inputs 304 includes a listener section. Incases where one feature depends upon another feature that may beincluded in or used by different models, the listener provides aninterface that is defined in the second XML file (Features.xml).

Any time a model (and accompanying features for the model) is beinginitialized and enabled, the listeners in the Features xml for allmodels that have already been initialized will be listened on. When theinitialization of a model is complete, the runtime model generator 40and/or accompanying runtime system 20 of FIG. 1 dispatch an event thatis captured and processed by the listeners. This allows for flexibilityand independence as to what features and accompanying artifacts fordifferent models must be loaded and when.

Note that the runtime model generator 40 implements a version of theprocess flow 110 of FIG. 4, e.g., wherein a delta is applied (e.g., inaccordance with one or more Delta.xml file(s)) when a new dimensionartifact is added to a form artifact. Accordingly, the additional inputs304 include delta files and/or delta file entries as needed for all thefeatures that add new dimension.

In the present example embodiment, a delta file (Delta.xml) is generatedbased on the input from a model developer using the developer system 12of FIG. 1. This delta file contains information specifying what changesshould be applied to an artifact (e.g., form and/or form member) when anew artifact (e.g., dimension) is inserted to the model. Accordingly,the delta file enables the runtime model generator 40 to perform deltafile processing 306, which includes selectively adjusting a form/memberwhen a new dimension is inserted into the model.

In summary, once the Features_UI.xml 302 is generated, a page isrendered (e.g., via the customer administrator system 22 of FIG. 1, asshown in FIG. 8), enabling a customer administrator to specify an answerto a business question. Then, based on the answer(s), one or morecorresponding features will be loaded. The runtime model generator 40maps the selected features to the artifacts (using the inputs 304) thatare to be loaded, and then loads the artifacts into the model andassociated application, i.e., deployed package.

Note that the runtime model generator 40 addresses a long-felt unsolvedneed in the art. Previously, without the runtime model generator 40pre-shipped models often had to undergo many changes, i.e.,customizations, based on particular business requirements, before enduser customers could use the software packages implementing thepre-shipped models. Sometimes, customizing the model would take moretime than rebuilding the entire model, thereby making use of thepre-shipped static model virtually useless in those cases.

In certain embodiments of the dynamic model generator 40, the number ofmodels that can be generated may be a permutation combination of thefeatures that customer administrators are allowed to pick and choosefrom (e.g., by providing answers to business questions). In oneembodiment, which has been implemented, over 10,000 different models canbe dynamically generated based on different features that are availablein various different business processes. Use of conventional systems tomeet requirements for building and maintaining such models could beprohibitive without use of the runtime model generator 40 andaccompanying system 10 of FIG. 1.

For example, conventionally, to merely change a label displayed in aform could mean having to manually change all of the models that use theassociated form artifact. Use of the dynamic runtime model generator 40and associated system 10 of FIG. 1 may enable efficient adjustment ofhundreds of things (e.g., artifacts, features, etc.) post development ofthe initial model, and at runtime.

Note that the package 54 of FIG. 1 is readily deployable via use of theruntime model generator 40 and accompanying functionality and modulesshown in FIGS. 1 and 11. In one embodiment, a cloud services platformused to consume the package 54 of FIG. 1 provides a registry to registerthe package 54 that is deployed using the cloud services platform.

Modules of a deployed package can be registered in various ways,including but not limited to:

-   -   1. Modules can try to register by themselves when a server        becomes available, by implementing a listener that monitors the        cloud services platform.    -   2. The cloud services platform can scan for specific file format        indicative of a file that has necessary details of models to be        loaded; and can then load the associated models.    -   3. At the time of deployment, a developer may write to a        specific file about each model and when it is to deployed; then        such file can be read by the cloud services platform.

Once the cloud services platform recognizes a model, it can then invokesthe UI Generator 44 of FIG. 1 to render the UI(s) for a selected model;and then invoke the runtime model generator 40 to generate the actualmodel based on end user (e.g., customer administrator) input. Variousartifacts usable by a particular model may be bundled into a<<ModelName>>.jar file, which can be then deployed to a planningenterprise application, as the deployed package 54 of FIG. 1.

Hence, with reference to FIG. 1, a model developer using the developersystem 12 is provided with a developer tool (e.g., as may be implementedvia the planning model generation framework 14 of FIG. 1) for definingqueries (business questions) suitable for a given planning model, andfor designing dynamic end UI display screens listing the queries (wherethe response to these queries will ultimately be used to generate theplanning model).

The input from model developer is captured in a deployable format; andthen used at runtime to generate/render the UI display screen(s) thatallows end users (e.g., customer administrators) to provide answers forthe queries. In the present example embodiment, the model developerinputs are captured in XML file format to facilitate reading, parsing,and generating the UI display screens. Use of the XML format can alsofacilitate defining dependencies between various UI components.

FIG. 12 is a third block diagram illustrating an example messagingsequence 312 between the customer administrator system 22, UI generator44, and runtime model generator 40 of the system 10 of FIG. 1 for aparticular example use case.

The customer administrator system 22 is shown including a browser 310,which initiates one or more messages (1.) to the UI generator 44 inresponse to user input provided to display a particular UI displayscreen. The one or more messages may comprise network messagesassociated with a customer administrator browsing to a URL associatedwith a deployed package; logging in; and navigating to a page (e.g., asshown in FIG. 8). The page includes one or more options to provide oneor more answers to one or more business questions. The page content (2.)is returned to the customer administrator system 22 and is viewable viathe accompanying browser 310.

Next, in the present example scenario, the customer administratorprovides answers to one or more business questions via the browser 310.The answers correspond to one or more model features that are to beadded to the model (characterizing the deployed package, e.g., thepackage 54 of FIG. 1) and initialized. One or more messages thatindicate the one or more answers are then provided to the runtime modelgenerator 40, e.g., via an updated Features_UI.xml file.

The runtime model generator 40 then uses information from theFeatures.xml file and artifact file list (FileList.xml) to determinewhich artifacts to load for each feature (that is to be loaded) based onthe one or more answers provided by a customer administrator using thecustomer administrator system 22 and accompanying browser 310. After thefeature(s) and associated artifact(s) are processed and loaded into themodel, an indication of such (4.) may be delivered back to the browser310 of the customer administrator system 22.

The following discussion with reference to FIGS. 13-15 discusses anexample use case involving a customer administrator deciding toincorporate a revenue planning feature into a deployed package byproviding a corresponding answer in a customer administrator UI, e.g.,the UI of FIG. 8.

FIG. 13 illustrates a portion of an example XML file (calledFeatures_UI.xml herein) defining a UI display screen accessible via thecustomer administrator system 22 of FIGS. 1 and 12. The UI displayscreen (e.g., as shown in FIG. 8, and a portion 336 of which is shown inFIG. 13) provides one or more user options 284 for specifying answer(s)to one or more business questions, e.g., by checking one or more boxes.The answer(s) may be input to the runtime model generator 40 as shown inFIGS. 11 and 12 via an updated Features_UI.xml file that incorporatesthe answer(s).

In FIG. 13, an example portion 332 of a Features_UI.xml file 330corresponds to or otherwise defines a corresponding portion 336 of a UIdisplay screen accessible via the customer administrator system 22 ofFIGS. 11 and 12. When a customer administrator specifies an answer,e.g., by checking a “Revenue/Gross Margin” check box from among theoptions 284, the Features_UI.xml automatically updates accordingly, asdiscussed more fully below.

FIG. 14-1 illustrates additional portions of the Features_UI.xml file330 of FIG. 13 after a customer administrator has specified“Revenue/Gross Margin” as an answer to a query (implemented via a checkbox in FIG. 13), resulting in updating of the Features_UI.xml file, asshown in additional sections 342, 344.

The additional sections 342, 344, include a first section 342, whichindicates “Yes” for the answer corresponding to whether or not to enablethe “Revenue/Gross Margin” feature. A revenue tag is then applied in asecond section 344 to indicate that the “Revenue/Gross Margin” featurerepresents a revenue feature in Features.xml, as discussed more fullybelow with reference to FIG. 14-2.

FIG. 14-2 is a continuation of FIG. 14-1 and illustrates exampleportions of a second XML file (called Features.xml herein) 350 that isautomatically updated responsive to the answer(s) to businessquestion(s) specified in the updated Features_UI.xml file 330 of FIG.14-1. The Features_UI.xml file 330 of FIG. 14-1 has been updated inaccordance with the answer(s) specified via a customer administratorusing the UI display screen portion 336 of FIG. 13.

The resulting Features.xml file 350 is updated (as indicated in afeature name section 352) to enable the “Revenue Planning” featureassociated with the “Revenue/Gross Margin” selection, i.e., answer of“Yes.” Various artifacts 354 associated with the feature are alsoidentified.

FIG. 15-1 illustrates additional example portions of the second XML file(Features.xml) 350 of FIG. 14-2, and shows how the different exampleportions 360-364 define different deployed application UI display screenportions (366 of FIGS. 15-1 and 370, 372 of FIG. 15-2) and associatedfunctionality represented by artifacts and the associated selectedfeature(s). The selected feature(s) correspond to one or more answersprovided via the UI display screen section 336 of FIG. 13.

For example, a first XML section 360 is usable to render a first UIdisplay screen section 336 of a deployed package representative of theupdated model, which has been updated to reflect an answer provided bythe customer administrator via a selection made in the UI display screenportion 336 of FIG. 13. The first UI display screen section 366illustrates form folders for financial dashboards and a financials planbook, as specified via the first XML section 360.

FIG. 15-2 is a continuation of FIG. 15-2 and illustrates additionalexample UI display screen portions 370, 372 of a deployed applicationbased on an updated model. The UI display screen sections 370, 372 ofare defined via the second XML file, i.e., the Features.xml file 350 ofFIG. 15-1.

With reference to FIGS. 15-1 and FIG. 15-2, a second XML section 362specifies artifacts used to render various form folder members shown ina second UI display screen portion 372 of FIG. 15-2. Similarly, a thirdXML section 364 of FIG. 15-1 artifacts used to render various forms(and/or links thereto) shown in a third UI display screen section 370.

FIG. 16 is a general block diagram of a system 900 and accompanyingcomputing environment usable to implement the embodiments of FIGS. 1-7.The example system 900 is capable of supporting or running varioushardware and/or software modules and associated methods discussed withreference to FIGS. 1-10. Note that certain embodiments may beimplemented using one or more standalone applications (for example,residing in a user device) and/or one or more web-based applicationsimplemented using a combination of client-side and server-side code.

The general system 900 includes user devices 960-990, including desktopcomputers 960, notebook computers 970, smartphones 980, mobile phones985, and tablets 990. The general system 900 can interface with any typeof user device, such as a thin-client computer, Internet-enabled mobiletelephone, mobile Internet access device, tablet, electronic book, orpersonal digital assistant, capable of displaying and navigating webpages or other types of electronic documents and Uls, and/or executingapplications. Although the system 900 is shown with five user devices,any number of user devices can be supported.

A web server 910 is used to process requests from web browsers andstandalone applications for web pages, electronic documents, enterprisedata or other content, and other data from the user computers. The webserver 910 may also provide push data or syndicated content, such as RSSfeeds, of data related to enterprise operations.

An application server 920 operates one or more applications. Theapplications can be implemented as one or more scripts or programswritten in any programming language, such as Java®, C, C++, C#, or anyscripting language, such as JavaScript® or ECMAScript (European ComputerManufacturers Association Script), Perl, PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor),Python, Ruby, or TCL (Tool Command Language). Applications can be builtusing libraries or application frameworks, such as Rails, EnterpriseJavaBeans®, or .NET. Web content can created using HTML (HyperTextMarkup Language), CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), and other webtechnology, including templating languages and parsers.

The data applications running on the application server 920 are adaptedto process input data and user computer requests and can store orretrieve data from data storage device or database 930. Database 930stores data created and used by the data applications. In an embodiment,the database 930 includes a relational database that is adapted tostore, update, and retrieve data in response to SQL format commands orother database query languages. Other embodiments may use unstructureddata storage architectures and NoSQL (Not Only SQL) databases.

In an embodiment, the application server 920 includes one or moregeneral-purpose computers capable of executing programs or scripts. Inan embodiment, web server 910 is implemented as an application runningon the one or more general-purpose computers. The web server 910 andapplication server 920 may be combined and executed on the samecomputers.

An electronic communication network 940-950 enables communicationbetween user computers 960-990, web server 910, application server 920,and database 930. In an embodiment, networks 940-950 may further includeany form of electrical or optical communication devices, including wirednetwork 940 and wireless network 950. Networks 940-950 may alsoincorporate one or more local-area networks, such as an Ethernetnetwork, wide-area networks, such as the Internet; cellular carrier datanetworks; and virtual networks, such as a virtual private network.

The system 900 is one example for executing applications according to anembodiment of the invention. In another embodiment, application server910, web server 920, and optionally database 930 can be combined into asingle server computer application and system. In a further embodiment,virtualization and virtual machine applications may be used to implementone or more of the application server 910, web server 920, and database930.

In still further embodiments, all or a portion of the web andapplication serving functions may be integrated into an applicationrunning on each of the user computers. For example, a JavaScript®application on the user computer may be used to retrieve or analyze dataand display portions of the applications.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 16, the developer system(s) 12, customeradministrator system(s) 22, and customer end-user system(s) 24 of FIG. 1may be implemented in whole or in part via one or more of the desktopcomputer 960, notebook computer 970, smartphone 980, mobile phone 985,tablet 990, of FIG. 16 and/or other computing devices. In a particularexample embodiment, the computing devices 960-990 run browsers, e.g.,used to display the developer UI(s) 26 and UIs of the customeradministrator system(s) 22 and customer end-user system(s) 24 of FIG. 1.Examples of such UIs are shown in FIGS. 8-10.

In a particular example embodiment, browsers of the systems 12, 22, 24of FIG. 1 connect to the Internet, represented by the wired network 940and/or wireless network 950 as shown in FIG. 16, to access one or morenetwork-coupled servers, databases, and/or associated cloud-basedfunctionality, as represented by the modules 14-20 of FIG. 1. Note thatone or more of the web server 910, application server 920, and datastorage device or database 930 shown in FIG. 16 may be used to hostsoftware corresponding to the modules 14-20 of FIG. 1, as detailed morefully below.

In the particular example embodiment, the model artifact constructor 16,planning model generation framework 14 (including the accompanying flexdimension framework 36, feature-artifact mapping module 38, runtimemodel generator 40, dynamic integrator 42, UI generator 44), dynamicbusiness planning module 18 and accompanying model adaptation module 46(including model specifications 48, question generator 50, and answerincorporator 52), and the packaging, delivery, deployment, and runtimesystem 20 (and accompanying cloud-deployed package 54) of FIG. 1 run ina cloud computing environment that includes a collection of plural webservers 910, application servers 920, and data storage devices 930 shownin FIG. 16.

For example, in the particular example embodiment, the planning modelgeneration framework 14 and model artifact constructor 16 of FIG. 1 runon a process cloud that communicates with a document cloud via anintegration mechanism, e.g., middleware, APIs, web services, etc. Thedocument cloud maintains data storage devices 930 of FIG. 16 to maintaindata that is generated by customers, e.g., via the customer end-usersystems 24 of FIG. 1 through use of the cloud-deployed package 54. Theprocess cloud in combination with the document cloud act as an overallcloud that supports development, deployment, dynamic adaptation, and useof dynamic software applications and accompanying models (e.g., thedynamic business planning model 18 of FIG. 1) shown in FIG. 1.

In general, software developers e.g., users of the developer systems 12of FIG. 1, may subscribe to certain cloud services to facilitatedevelopment of software applications and storage of associated files. Acloud service that is configured for software application or processflow development is called a Process Cloud Service (PCS) herein.

A process cloud service may employ a networked database, e.g., the datastorage device 930 of FIG. 16, to store files and other objects used bya given software program being developed. Server-side developmentenvironments may be accessible to developers via browsers. Thedevelopment environments may be backed by the PCS, such that developedsoftware application files are stored in the PCS database correspondingto the one or more of the data storage devices 930 of FIG. 16.

A document cloud may include document management functionality incommunication with folder structures and documents and may incorporatefunctionality for adding rich metadata documents and folders. Thedocument management functionality may include MetaData Services (MDS)for characterizing folders and documents and associated structures withvarious types of metadata. The document management functionality mayfurther include software (which may include a combination of webpagecode from a web server 910 of FIG. 16 and supporting application code ofan application server 920 of FIG. 16, where the webpage code may callthe application code using web services, APIs, etc.) for generating oneor more customer UI display screens, e.g., UI display screens presentedvia browsers of the customer administrator systems 22 and customerend-user systems 24 of FIG. 1.

In the particular example embodiment, the UI display screens (examplesof which are shown in FIGS. 8-10) include accompanying UI controls andassociated options. Example options include options to browse, create,delete, define, upload, download, etc., folders, structures, anddocuments, etc., as maintained via the folder structures and documents.

Note that in the particular example embodiment, browsers used by thedeveloper system 12, customer administrator system 22, and customerend-user system 24 of FIG. 1, interface with web servers 910 shown inFIG. 16 to access websites and accompanying webpage code, which isbacked by applications used to implement the modules 16-20 of FIG. 1.The webpage code of the web servers 910 of FIG. 16 use web services,APIs, and/or other interfacing mechanisms to communicate withapplication software hosted on application servers 920 of FIG. 16 of thecloud, which includes a collection of web servers 910, applicationservers 920, and data storage devices 930 of FIG. 16.

Note that various embodiments discussed herein may provide substantialbenefits in terms of providing efficiencies in systems and methods thatachieve a new and useful end as it pertains to new softwareadaptability. In particular, certain embodiments discussed hereinuniquely leverage input from customers, the input of which may changeover time as user needs change, to enable substantial hereto-for-notpossible or practical dynamic software model reconfiguration and/orreconstruction.

Certain embodiments may provide virtually automatic incorporation ofsuch inputs into a seamlessly adaptable software package that isresponsive to the changing user needs and automatically seamlesslyhandles software integrations. Such was heretofore not possible in themanner discussed herein, as efficient non-cost-prohibitive methods forrapidly adapting such software and accompanying modules was lacking inthe art.

Accordingly, various embodiments provide new capabilities for efficientsoftware adaptation, in part by uniquely leveraging associations betweenuser-provided answers to questions, sets of software model artifacts;sets of software functionality, and one or more mappings orrelationships selectively established therebetween.

FIG. 17 is a general block diagram of a computing device 500 usable toimplement the embodiments described herein. While the computing device500 of FIG. 17 may be described as performing one or more of the stepsin the embodiments herein, in other embodiments any suitable componentor combination of components of the computing device 500 or any suitableprocessor or processors associated with system 500 may facilitateperforming the steps.

FIG. 17 illustrates a block diagram of an example computing system 500,which may be used for implementations described herein. For example,computing system 500 may be used to implement server devices 910, 920 ofFIG. 16 as well as to perform the method implementations describedherein. In some implementations, computing system 500 may include aprocessor 502, an operating system 504, a memory 506, and aninput/output (I/O) interface 508. In various implementations, processor502 may be used to implement various functions and features describedherein, as well as to perform the method implementations describedherein. While processor 502 is described as performing implementationsdescribed herein, any suitable component or combination of components ofsystem 500 or any suitable processor or processors associated withsystem 500 or any suitable system may perform the steps described.Implementations described herein may be carried out on a user device, ona server, or a combination of both.

Computing device 500 also includes a software application 510, which maybe stored on memory 506 or on any other suitable storage location orcomputer-readable medium. Software application 510 provides instructionsthat enable processor 502 to perform the functions described herein andother functions. The components of computing system 500 may beimplemented by one or more processors or any combination of hardwaredevices, as well as any combination of hardware, software, firmware,etc.

For ease of illustration, FIG. 17 shows one block for each of processor502, operating system 504, memory 506, I/O interface 508, and softwareapplication 510. These blocks 502, 504, 506, 508, and 510 may representmultiple processors, operating systems, memories, I/O interfaces, andsoftware applications. In various implementations, computing system 500may not have all of the components shown and/or may have other elementsincluding other types of components instead of, or in addition to, thoseshown herein.

Although the description has been described with respect to particularembodiments thereof, these particular embodiments are merelyillustrative, and not restrictive. For example, while variousembodiments discussed herein address development, deployment, and use ofdynamic business planning models used to implement cloud-basedenterprise software applications and associated services, embodimentsare not limited thereto.

For example, various embodiments need not be deployed via an Internetcloud, but instead may be hosted on an internal enterprise server on alocal network. Furthermore various embodiments may be implemented asdesktop software, such that the incremental updating happens on theend-user computer on which the software leveraging the dynamic planningmodel runs. In addition, embodiments are not limited to use inconventional business applications and computing environments, and maybe used, for example, by governments, universities, and otherorganizations to facilitate various types of planning activities. Inaddition, embodiments need not be limited to planning software, but maybe used to dynamically update different types of software that maybenefit by the ability to dynamically adapt to specific needs and/orchanging needs of an organization and/or associated computingenvironment.

Any suitable programming language can be used to implement the routinesof particular embodiments including C, C++, Java®, assembly language,etc. Different programming techniques can be employed such as proceduralor object oriented. The routines can execute on a single processingdevice or multiple processors. Although the steps, operations, orcomputations may be presented in a specific order, this order may bechanged in different particular embodiments. In some particularembodiments, multiple steps shown as sequential in this specificationcan be performed at the same time.

Particular embodiments may be implemented in a computer-readable storagemedium for use by or in connection with the instruction executionsystem, apparatus, system, or device. Particular embodiments can beimplemented in the form of control logic in software or hardware or acombination of both. The control logic, when executed by one or moreprocessors, may be operable to perform that which is described inparticular embodiments.

Particular embodiments may be implemented by using a programmed generalpurpose digital computer, by using application specific integratedcircuits, programmable logic devices, field programmable gate arrays,optical, chemical, biological, quantum or nanoengineered systems,components and mechanisms may be used. In general, the functions ofparticular embodiments can be achieved by any means as is known in theart. Distributed, networked systems, components, and/or circuits can beused. Communication, or transfer, of data may be wired, wireless, or byany other means.

It will also be appreciated that one or more of the elements depicted inthe drawings/figures can also be implemented in a more separated orintegrated manner, or even removed or rendered as inoperable in certaincases, as is useful in accordance with a particular application. It isalso within the spirit and scope to implement a program or code that canbe stored in a machine-readable medium to permit a computer to performany of the methods described above.

As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow,“a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural references unless the contextclearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein andthroughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and“on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Thus, while particular embodiments have been described herein, latitudesof modification, various changes, and substitutions are intended in theforegoing disclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instancessome features of particular embodiments will be employed without acorresponding use of other features without departing from the scope andspirit as set forth. Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapta particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit.

We claim:
 1. A method for facilitating business planning operations, themethod comprising: presenting one or more first user interface (UI)controls to a first user thereof for use with a first computer system,the one or more first UI controls configured to establish an initialbusiness planning model modeled by a business planning softwareapplication in response to operational input to the one or more first UIcontrols received from the first user, the initial business planningmodel including instructions for enabling business planning modules ofthe business planning software application; employing a controller incommunication with an integrator to enable selective activation of thebusiness planning modules of the business planning software application,and further enabling intercommunications between plural businessplanning modules of the business planning modules; presenting one ormore second UI controls available to a second computer system configuredto administer the first computer system, the one or more second UIcontrols enabling a second user to provide one or more answers to one ormore business questions that are presented to the second computersystem, wherein the one or more business questions associated with asoftware functionality of the business planning software application andartifacts of the initial business planning model are incorporated aspart of the initial business planning model generated in accordance withthe questions; using the one or more answers to selectively enableexposure of functionality provided by the business planning modules to athird computer system for use by a third user; and further employing thecontroller and the integrator to dynamically ensure that alterations toa first module of the business planning modules to selectively updatethe initial business planning model avoid conflicting with afunctionality provided by one or more other modules of the businessplanning modules by adjusting business processes associated with thealterations to the first module to avoid the conflicting.
 2. The methodof claim 1, wherein the one or more first UI controls are configured toenable configuration of mappings associated with the business modelartifacts, wherein the mappings refer to associations between thebusiness model artifacts and features.
 3. The method of claim 1, whereinthe one or more first UI controls are configured to facilitateconstruction, selection, and configuration of the business modelartifacts.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising implementingautomatic feature-artifact mappings in accordance with groupings of thebusiness questions and answers to the business questions.
 5. The methodof claim 1, wherein the selective activation further comprisesselectively activating a feature-artifact mapping module configured toestablish dependency between business model artifacts describing UIdisplay screen aspects.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one ormore answers and the one or more business questions are dynamicallygenerated and are configured to modify and adapt the initial businessplanning model into an arbitrarily complex business model in response toa user defined purpose.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein responses tothe one or more answers by the second user initiates automaticallypopulating the second computer system with artifacts and featuresassociated with the one or more business questions.
 8. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising employing a listener configured to monitor anetwork interconnecting the first computer system, the second computersystem, and the third computer system, wherein in response to aninitialization event for the first module, the listener provides a UIconfigured to provide features and artifacts associated with the firstmodule to the network.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the network isa cloud-based network.
 10. A non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium including instructions executable by one or more processors, theinstructions comprising: presenting one or more first user interface(UI) controls to a first user thereof for use with a first computersystem, the one or more first UI controls configured to establish aninitial business planning model modeled by a business planning softwareapplication in response to operational input to the one or more first UIcontrols received from the first user, the initial business planningmodel including instructions for enabling business planning modules ofthe business planning software application; employing a controller incommunication with an integrator to enable selective activation of thebusiness planning modules of the business planning software application,and further enabling intercommunications between plural businessplanning modules of the business planning modules; presenting one ormore second UI controls available to a second computer system configuredto administer the first computer system, the one or more second UIcontrols enabling a second user to provide one or more answers to one ormore business questions that are presented to the second computersystem, wherein the one or more business questions associated with asoftware functionality of the business planning software application andartifacts of the initial business planning model are incorporated aspart of the initial business planning model generated in accordance withthe questions; using the one or more answers to selectively enableexposure of functionality provided by the business planning modules to athird computer system for use by a third user; and further employing thecontroller and the integrator to dynamically ensure that alterations toa first module of the business planning modules to selectively updatethe initial business planning model avoid conflicting with afunctionality provided by one or more other modules of the businessplanning modules by adjusting business processes associated with thealterations to the first module to avoid the conflicting.
 11. Thenon-transitory processor-readable storage medium device of claim 10,wherein the one or more first UI controls are configured to enableconfiguration of mappings associated with the business model artifacts,wherein the mappings refer to associations between the business modelartifacts and features.
 12. The non-transitory processor-readablestorage medium device of claim 10, wherein the one or more first UIcontrols are configured to facilitate construction, selection, andconfiguration of the business model artifacts.
 13. The non-transitoryprocessor-readable storage medium device of claim 10, further comprisingimplementing automatic feature-artifact mappings in accordance withgroupings of the one or more business questions and answers to the oneor more business questions.
 14. The non-transitory processor-readablestorage medium device of claim 10, wherein the selective activationfurther comprises selectively activating a feature-artifact mappingmodule configured to establish dependency between business modelartifacts describing UI display screen aspects.
 15. The non-transitoryprocessor-readable storage medium device of claim 10, wherein the one ormore answers and the one or more business questions are dynamicallygenerated and are configured to modify and adapt the initial businessplanning model into an arbitrarily complex business model in response toa user defined purpose.
 16. The non-transitory processor-readablestorage medium device of claim 10, wherein responses to the one or moreanswers by the second user initiates automatically populating the secondcomputer system with artifacts and features associated with the one ormore questions.
 17. The non-transitory processor-readable storage mediumdevice of claim 10, further comprising employing a listener configuredto monitor a network interconnecting the first computer system, thesecond computer system, and the third computer system, wherein inresponse to an initialization event for the first module, the listenerprovides a UI configured to provide features and artifacts associatedwith the first module to the network.
 18. An apparatus for facilitatingconstruction of a dynamic business planning model, the apparatuscomprising: one or more processors; a non-transitory processor-readablestorage device including instructions comprising: presenting one or morefirst user interface (UI) controls to a first user thereof for use witha first computer system, the one or more first UI controls configured toestablish an initial business planning model modeled by a businessplanning software application in response to operational input to theone or more first UI controls received from the first user, the initialbusiness planning model including instructions for enabling businessplanning modules of the business planning software application;employing a controller in communication with an integrator to enableselective activation of the business planning modules of the businessplanning software application, and further enabling intercommunicationsbetween plural business planning modules of the business planningmodules; presenting one or more second UI controls available to a secondcomputer system configured to administer the first computer system, theone or more second UI controls enabling a second user to provide one ormore answers to one or more business questions that are presented to thesecond computer system, wherein the one or more business questionsassociated with a software functionality of the business planningsoftware application and artifacts of the initial business planningmodel are incorporated as part of the initial business planning modelgenerated in accordance with the questions; using the one or moreanswers to selectively enable exposure of functionality provided by thebusiness planning modules to a third computer system for use by a thirduser; and further employing the controller and the integrator todynamically ensure that alterations to a first module of the businessplanning modules to selectively update the initial business planningmodel avoid conflicting with a functionality provided by one or moreother modules of the business planning modules by adjusting businessprocesses associated with the alterations to the first module to avoidthe conflicting.